At the start of their meeting Netanyahu said: “Boris, it’s always a pleasure to see you, but especially now in your role as Prime Minister.

I want to say that you’ve been a great friend of the Jewish people and Israel. I applaud your staunch stance against antisemitism and your support for Israel’s security. Our relations are at an all-time high: economically, trade, technology, defense cooperation. These are all great things.

It’s not that we lack challenges. We have the challenge of Iran’s aggression and terrorism, and I’d like to talk to you about how we can work together to counter these things for the benefit of peace. And I want to thank you for this opportunity to do so.”

Johnson met Netanyahu in London as the Israeli prime minister continued a critical campaign to urge European leaders to abandon the Iran nuclear deal and impose fresh sanctions on Iran.

Netanyahu also acknowledged that Donald Trump may meet Iran’s president at the United Nations this month but said America should keep up economic pressure even if the unprecedented talks take place.

“I can’t tell you when or whether the talks will take place between President Trump and Rouhani,” Netanyahu told reporters in London. “Today I think what is needed is more pressure and the leverage which will come from that pressure on the regime in Iran.”

The meeting between Netanyahu and Johnson came as Iran said it would announce a third tranche of nuclear deal violations this Saturday. The new breaches are likely to include bringing new nuclear centrifuges online and expanding atomic research.